Inside Art with Michael Rose - Five Upcoming Opportunities to Show Art Across RI

Inside Art with Michael Rose - Five Upcoming Opportunities to Show Art Across RI

Although a small place, Rhode Island has ample opportunities for artists to share new work in regular exhibitions throughout the state. Various open calls for entry seek artworks by creators of all backgrounds to exhibit in popular gallery spaces. Typically, these shows include an entry fee that helps to underwrite the costs of mounting them, sometimes they include prizes or a notable juror, but regardless of structure they are an integral element of the visual arts ecosystem for artists who primarily exhibit in their own backyards. Entering 2022, five calls for art spread across the state invite art-makers to bring their work to new audiences.

 

In Warren, Imago Gallery is hosting a Community Exhibit with a deadline that is fast approaching. Artworks for this exhibition are due January 2 and 3 with an accompanying online entry form to be completed in advance of drop off. This exhibition has an entry fee of $15 for one artwork submission, $30 for two, and $40 for three. Participating in an exhibition like this community-focused show at Imago offers local artists the chance to exhibit alongside their peers in a wonderful gallery space in the East Bay. The exhibition will be on view from January 7 - January 22. Interested artists can learn more about Imago’s Community Exhibit visit HERE.

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On Bellevue Avenue in Newport, the longstanding cooperative space Spring Bull Gallery has been hosting an annual Fakes and Forgeries Exhibition for over three decades. This exhibition is a fun chance for artists to create an homage to their favorite art historical work. The deadline to enter Fakes and Forgeries is January 14 and the entry fee is $30 for one submission. The exhibition, which will be juried for prizes, runs from January 22 - February 27. A long tradition, Fakes and Forgeries typically includes items that range from dutiful copies of well-known artworks to whimsical interpretations crafted in unusual materials. For more details about Spring Bull’s Fakes and Forgeries Show, visit HERE.

 

Also through January 14, Wickford Art Association is inviting submissions for an exhibition focused on Botanical Inspirations. There is a $35 entry fee to submit work for consideration to this juried exhibition. Current WAA members receive a discount on this fee with a special coupon code. Selected works in the Botanical Inspirations exhibition will be on view April 8 - May 8. For three months thereafter the WAA will host featured works in an online shop, extending sales opportunities for artists. Art makers who are passionate about floral subjects can learn more and apply HERE. 

 

For artists who make public artwork, East Providence Arts Council is hosting an interesting open call for public murals. This call invites artists to submit proposals for murals to be displayed on purpose-built structures in the city’s new Arts District in Watchemoket Square. There is no charge to apply and submissions are open through January 16. With no entry fee, this opportunity is very accessible to anyone who would like to see their work displayed publicly for residents of, and visitors to, East Providence. Aspiring muralists can find all the details about this opportunity see HERE.

 

In South County, Wakefield’s landmark Hera Gallery often hosts engaging open calls for art. Coming this spring, Hera is seeking submissions for Perfect Age: Reflections on the Passage of Time. This show will be juried by Lydia Gordon, an accomplished curator and writer specializing in modern and contemporary art who is based at Peabody Essex Museum in Salem. Applications for this opportunity open on January 10 and continue through March 11, 2022. The resulting exhibition will take place May 14 -  June 18, 2022. The application fee for this exhibition is $35, but Hera is offering special discounts for artists experiencing financial hardships. Hera has an established reputation for assembling strong juried exhibitions, and this show will surely be full of compelling work. Those who would like to learn more about Hera’s Perfect Age exhibition can read the full call for entry HERE.

 

While it can be intimidating to submit artwork to such open calls, participating in group exhibitions is an important experience for any amateur or professional artist. Such exhibitions allow for work to be seen outside of an artist’s studio and side by side with works created by one’s contemporaries. They also give working artists without regular gallery representation venues in which to sell their works, while also supporting local exhibition spaces.

 

In these five current calls for entry spread across the state, one finds a cross-section of the types of exhibitions that occur regularly in Rhode Island. In them too, many artists can find exciting opportunities to start off the new year.